1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid turbines, and more specifically to a fluid turbine case.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A turbine casing, such as that used in a turbo-pump for a rocket engine, includes an axial flow turbine positioned between a tangential flow inlet pipe and a tangential flow outlet pipe. Each of the tangential flow inlet and outlet pipes transitions into a volute to take the tangential flow fluid into an axial flow fluid passing into or discharging from the axial flow turbine. The prior art turbine case includes at least two pieces with the inlet volute being one piece and the outlet volute being the other piece, and the axial flow turbine being positioned between the inlet volute and the outlet volute.
In the prior art two piece volute case, the inlet case and the inlet vanes must be assembled either before or after the exit case with the turbine blades trapped in the middle. In order to remove the turbine blades, the two piece volute case of the prior art must be disassembled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a turbine case with an inlet volute and an outlet volute in which the turbine rotor disk and blades can be removed without disassembling the volute case.